What The Inside Looks Like…
Today’s article is going to be just a little bit different, and it will be ‘short and sweet’. On several recent onsite repair jobs, I have opened the computer’s side panel and heard the client exclaim, “that’s all that’s in there? I was expecting more.. more.. stuff.” I am always bemused by people’s reactions when they look inside a PC for the first time.
(Yes, there’s a lot of open space inside a desktop PC. Laptop’s are different, and every nook is filled.)
So today – for those of you who have never seen the insides of a computer – I provide two simple photos: inside a desktop, and inside a laptop. (Your configuration will have some differences..)
Fairly high-end desktop (aka “loaded”)
Inside a laptop
Today’s free download: YouTube Downloader
“This simple freeware application works pretty well, given how basic the interface is. It has two main features: to download FLV files from YouTube, and to convert them to most major formats..”
Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved.
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• About Tech Paul
I am a CompTIA Certified computer technician, and the owner of Aplus Computer Aid. I offer my affordable and friendly services via remote control over the Web, or over the phone.
I regularly post how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice. Sometimes I will answer (your) specific questions in an article if I believe that it is generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see is my own, typos and all. There is an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
You can write to me using this form.
Note: You are responsible for using this blog and its content. I am in no way liable for any losses caused by user error, viruses and/or other malware, hardware or software failure, or any other conceivable reason.
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Folks, this is not one of those "trick you into buying" free scans, but a scan that show what is running, and loaded to run (Startup folder, etc.). You can also click links to learn more about the files it finds. And, please, do a search before you decide something doesn't belong. 
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What these pictures do for me…
Wow! Mind boggling to see what is inside the computer.
With all the “mish mash” of wires, cords, cards etc., the delicacy of its insides … yet most times it works like magic. I sit at my desk, push its buttons… become frustrated and annnoyed when this piece of technology does not do what I tell it to do.
Thanks, Paul for letting me see the inside brains of the computer of “what makes our world go round” as well as the brains required of ‘you techies” to resolve the problems when all goes wrong. For sure further respect is necessary for this machine that is such a large part of my life.
Gaia,
I have a bit of an understanding of these machines, having studied and worked on them for years, and so I can tell you that those pictures show the simple stuff — the hardware. “Simple” because all it does is provide paths for some electrical currents — such as a sound signal to the speaker, or images to the monitor.
The real complicated, and amazing, aspect – to me – is when you consider the programming… the “lines of code” people write that enables strings of 1′s and 0′s to appear to us as dancing babies.. or spreadsheets.
(Windows XP has something like 40,000,000 lines of code…)
TechPaul,
This is great… Why didn’t I think of doing this for an article…
Not only have I had people say “that’s all that’s in there? I was expecting more.. more.. stuff.”
I also have them say, “Wow, look at the dust balls” : )
Great post…
Rick
Rick,
Funny… I opened my editor and started to type, “And by the way, Folks, if you own a desktop, you really should know what the inside looks like from when you go in and brush and blow the dust out.. See my article here” at least six times yesterday… but decided against it.
Bottom line; people are afraid of damaging their expensive computer, and “mucking something up”. And, maybe that’s not such a bad thing…
[...] Tech-for Everyone What The Inside Looks Like [...]
LOL!!!@”that’s all that’s in there??” I was a freak about neatly arranging all the misc connections. I proudly display it with a clear sideboard. Infact, I just noticed a few dust bunnies.
g,
I would never assemble a machine and leave it in the condition pictured; and I too prefer some LED’s and a side window. Not only do cord tangles reduce/alter airflow, they’re unsightly.
I have never been .. um, gung ho enough to try any true exploration of the wonderful world of “case mods” (hint: use that text string in an image search), but I have heard that using automotive paint and baking it gives the best results…
I take it your B-I-Y computer is still cranking over in the morning? Excellent! Folks, G took the plunge and built his very own computer.. and he wrote about his experience, here.